HSFPP Home > Students > Unit 1 – Financial Plan

Unit 1: Your Financial Plan: Where It All Begins
Download entire unit

 

Unit Competency and Objectives

Unit Overview: This outlines what you will learn in this unit and a way to track your progress on assignments and the assessment.

Student Learning Plan: Use this learning plan to track which learning activities you have accomplished through the unit.

 

Exercises

Exercise 1A: Needs and Wants: Can I Tell the Difference?
You will write down things you spend money on and decide if the items are needs or wants.

Exercise 1B: How Long Will It Take?
You will analyze different goals to determine if they are short-, intermediate-, or long-term goals.

Exercise 1C: Are the Goals SMART?
You will indicate the SMART criteria missing from provided goals and then rewrite each goal to make it SMART.

Exercise 1D: What Should Rob Do?
After reading a scenario about Rob and his short-term goals, you list criteria and options to help him decide what to do to reach those goals.

Exercise 1E: Satellite Decisions
You fill out a satellite decision chart regarding a class trip to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade®.

Exercise 1F: Deciding to Buy a Car
You use the decision-making process to work through the major decision of buying a car.

 

Assignments

Assignment 1-1: My SMART Goals
SMART Goals Chart
Required Criteria
You are asked to provide three personal SMART goals and indicate whether each is a need or a want.

Assignment 1-2: 30-Day Countdown to Goal
Required Criteria
You select one short-term financial goal and then track your progress in meeting that goal for a month.

Assignment 1-3: My Personal Spending Log
Required Criteria
You track your personal spending for one week to see how it matches up with your financial goals.

Assignment 1-4: Decisions, Decisions
Required Criteria
You will show how to use the decision-making model to make a decision now or soon.

Assignment 1-5: Financial Planning Strategies
Required Criteria
You provide written advice to a friend regarding how to meet a financial goal.

Assignment 1-6: Financial Planning Process Steps
Required Criteria
In this assignment handed out by your teacher, you will work with a friend to put the steps of the financial planning process in the correct order and discuss why each step is important.

 

Assessment

Assessment 1-1: My Financial Plan
Required Criteria
You put all the elements that you've learned together to create a personal financial plan.

 

Optional Activities

In the Instructor's Manual, teachers are provided “optional activities” to supplement your learning. Not all teachers will have time to have you complete in class. In case you are interested in expanding your knowledge a bit more, check out the optional activities below. Once you complete an activity, you mind need to check your answers with your teacher. They have a copy of the answer keys.

• You will use the SMART Goals for a School Organization/Event handout to describe SMART goals for a school events such as prom, graduation, or homecoming.
• You will refer to the Assessment of Sample SMART Goals handout to practice assessing a list of goals and identifying what is missing.
• You will complete the Values Survey Activity handed out by your teacher to see how your values influence the decisions you make when you set goals.
• You will use spreadsheet software to track your spending.
• You will create a satellite decision chart to map out decisions made related to buying a car or another major decision.
• You will test your knowledge about SMART goals and decision making by taking the Decision-Making Check Quiz handed out by your teacher.
• It's show time as you team up with some classmates to create and perform a short skit or presentation about financial planning.
• You will read about Mary's or Terence's situation in the Case Studies handout and identify why that teen's financial plan should be adjusted.
• You will work alone or with another student to complete the Unit 1 Success Street Sweep game on the HSFPP Web site.
• You will use what you have learned to create a financial plan for a school club or community organization.

 

Supplementary Materials

There are some handouts which “supplement” what you are learning in the curriculum. Your teacher has some in the Instructor's Manual. But, if you are curious – explore.

 

Taking It Home

For Students:

1. You'll take home and read a newsletter article with tips for financial planning and decision making.
2. You'll use the decision-making process to help your family make a financial decision.

For Parents:

1. You'll read the newsletter article your teen brings home from school and discuss the tips it provides for financial planning and decision making.
2. You'll work with your teen and family to use the decision-making process to make a financial decision for your family.

 

Links

Below are helpful resources related to this unit.